Get Moving?

Fibromyalgia
affects 1-3% of the United States population and approximately the same
percentage of the population is affected by chronic fatigue syndrome,
which is a closely related disease. Up to 18 million adults in any given
year report these symptoms, making them a substantial public health
problem. Women seem to be more affected than men.

The fibromyalgia
patient typically complains of widespread pain affecting the muscles,
as well as their tendons and ligaments. Scientific studies have shown
decreased voluntary muscle strength and endurance in patients with
fibromyalgia. One study demonstrated a 35% reduction in muscle strength
among patients with fibromyalgia. This loss of strength could be one
cause of the disease or a secondary effect due to inactivity.
Osteoporotic patients with fibromyalgia have impairment in strength of
lumbar and abdominal muscles and in measurement of chest expansion.

There
are several studies that show benefits of pain reduction and improved
aerobic capacity when fibromyalgia patients begin a moderate exercise
program. In general, patients are more successful (if they stick with
it) with low-intensity exercises as opposed to high-intensity programs. A
good exercise to start with is a simple walking routine. Even if pain
occurs during the activity, the patient should be encouraged to
continue. Inactivity and pain-avoidance behavior is likely to increase
symptoms further. Common fears include: activity will cause more pain,
pain with activity means further damage, or that discomfort is a symptom
of serious disease. If symptoms increase substantially with exercise,
then the patient should back off of the intensity and do a more gradual
approach.

As a patient’s pain levels are reduced, they typically experience improvements in their psychological wellbeing.

Heavy
resistance exercise has also been shown to affect fibromyalgia
symptoms. In one study, thirteen elderly women performed a
heavy-resistance fatiguing protocol (5 sets of leg presses with 10
repetitions maximum) before and after a 21-week strength-training
period. The strength training led to large increases in maximal force
and contributed to the improvement in loading performance. The increased
strength also seemed to reduce pain in the muscles.

These studies
indicate that inactivity is often a problem in fibromyalgia and that
getting moving, walking, and even strength training at the gym can have
potentially positive impacts on your pain. You should consult a
competent healthcare provider prior to starting any exercise program.
This assessment should include a comprehensive spinal and extremity
evaluation to make sure there are no joint problems, which could affect
your ability to exercise effectively.

Members of ChiroTrust® have taken “The ChiroTrust Pledge”: “To the best of my ability, I agree to provide my patients convenient, affordable, and mainstream Chiropractic care. I will not use unnecessary long-term treatment plans and/or therapies.”

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This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.